Pregame notes: Reggie Evans back in the starting lineup at Chicago

Reggie Evans will start at power forward tonight when the Kings play the Chicago Bulls at United Center.

Kings coach Michael Malone went with Evans to match up with Chicago’s physical frontline. Evans started at Brooklyn and Detroit on the current road trip.

Malone said Isaiah Thomas, Ben McLemore, Rudy Gay and DeMarcus Cousins would be his four constants in the starting lineup and the power forward spot would be looked at on a game-by-game basis.

When matched up with smaller, more athletic power forwards, Derrick Williams will be the starter.

*Malone said he had not addressed any potential issues that might arise between Cousins and Bulls forward Mike Dunleavy tonight.

Cousins’ beef with Dunleavy goes back to last season when Dunleavy hit Cousins low while playing for Milwaukee.

Cousins then tried to elbow Dunleavy in the head and was ejected from the game. Cousins missed two games with a quad contusion from Dunleavy’s hit.

The two exchanged words again with Cousins saying Dunleavy hit him during the game and Dunleavy complaining to officials that Cousins tried to stick his foot under him on a jump shot in an attempt to injure him.

After the game, Cousins called Dunleavy a “clown.”

“Ever since the Houston game (that Cousins was ejected from) we’ve talked to DeMarcus about trying to finish out the season without any more drama, if you will,” Malone said. “Try to keep a level head.

“I’m not really concerned about Mike Dunleavy, I’m concerned about the Chicago Bulls, how well they’re playing and the challenge that we have in this game.”

Prediction time: On this road trip the Kings have beaten two teams -- the two teams with the worst records in the NBA.

The Bulls are a major step up from Philadelphia and will be looking to avenge a blowout loss in Sacramento last month.

About This Blog

Jason Jones, who joined The Sacramento Bee in 2002, has covered the Kings since 2008. Jones, a UC Berkeley graduate, also has covered high school sports, the Oakland Raiders and the Sacramento Monarchs for The Bee. Contact him at jejones@sacbee.com. Twitter: @mr_jasonjones